“Oi!  Did you lot hear about Longbottom’s boggart?”

Mika came bounding up out of nowhere to land in an empty seat next to Ginny.  Across the table, Harry and Niamh glared at him for his cheerfulness.  Harry, who had already heard rumors of the Gryffindor’s boggart, said icily, “Please.  Enlighten we poor, uninformed people.”

Mika ignored the icy tone and said excitedly, “It turns out Longbottom’s scared of Snape.  Snape!”

“What person not in Slytherin isn’t afraid of Snape?” asked Niamh, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, but that’s not the best part.  Longbottom imagined Snape into some of his grandmother’s clothes!”

Niamh blinked then burst out laughing, nearly falling out of her chair.  Harry glared at her but couldn’t help smiling at the thought of his father in a dress.

“Did somebody get a picture?” asked Niamh as soon as she got her breath back.  “Please tell me they did.  That’d be priceless.”

“No,” replied Mika sullenly.  “But Hermione says she’s going to draw one.”

“Hermione can draw?” said Ginny, looking up from her lunch in surprise.

“Apparently.  The twin’s fount out and she says they’ve been bugging her for days about drawing something.”

“That’ll be loads of fun to look at,” said Niamh with a grin.  “No offense, Harry.”

“Offence?  Why shou’ I take offence?  Now, if i’ was me Neville was afraid of…”

Niamh laughed then the four of them looked up as a commotion outside the Great Hall got their attention.

“You go and apologize to him!  NOW!”

“But…”

“APOLOGIZE!”

“I think I know who that is,” said Mika.

“Who?” asked Ginny.

Niamh bared her teeth, glared at the door, and growled, “Ron and Hermione.”

“But, Mione.”

“YOU GO AND APOLOGIZE NOW, RONALD WEASLEY!”

“Yep, that’s them.”

Niamh reached for her wand as a ginger-haired figure entered the Hall, followed quickly by an angry wrath with bushy brown hair.  Harry slipped Niamh’s wand our of her pocket and tucked it up his sleeve, his eyes focused on Hermione and Ron.  He grumbled, “Could’n she ‘ave picked some other time ter do this?”

“I think Mione’s fed up with him.  Oi, where’d my wand go?!  Harry, you bastard, you snitched my wand, didn’t you?”

“I did nothin’ of the sort,” said Harry blandly, slipping her wand back into her pocket when her turned to snarl something at Mika.

“Oi, look.  They’re coming over here.”

All four of them watched as Ron trudged past the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables to the Slytherin one.  He walked towards them, stopped, then started up again when Hermione prodded him in the back.

“You think he’ll do it?” asked Ginny, eyes on her brother.

“Not a chance,” growled Niamh.  “Hey, there’s my wand!”

“’Magine that,” deadpanned Harry as Hermione gave Ron a shove towards them then stood scowling in a very un-Hermione-like way at him.  Ron stumbled but caught himself, straightening and looking straight at Harry.  His mouth opened but no sound came out.

Niamh smirked and sneered, “Crookshanks got your tongue?” referring to Hermione’s bandy-legged cat that was constantly trying to eat Ron’s pet rat Scabbers.

Ron closed his mouth then opened it again to say, “I’m trying to apologize.”

“Then do I’,” said Harry.  “Doan stand there an’ gape at us.”

Ron’s ears reddened and Harry felt like hexing himself for his stupidity.

“You snakes are all the same!  Too arrogant for you own good!”

“And here I thought it was Gryffindors who were arrogant,” said Niamh

“Arrogant and stupid, you mean,” added Mika.

Ron glared at them then turned and stomped off.  Hermione came huffing up a moment later and whacked Mika across the back of his head.

“Idiots!  I was this close to getting him to apologize.  And you two had to go and ruin it!”  This was said as she glared at Niamh and Mika, who was rubbing the back of his head and wincing.

Niamh sighed and said, “You can’t make him apologize, Mione.  He has to do it on his own.”

Hermione glared at her then sighed, shoulders slumping.  She whispered, “I just want everything to be back to normal.  Nothing’s the same anymore.”

“An’ never will be,” said Harry.  “As long as I’m me Da’s son, Ron’s gonna ‘ave somethin’ against me.”  He turned his gaze to Mika and added, “And maybe ye too.”

“Mika?  What’s Mika got against you, Harry?” asked Ginny in confusion.

Harry glared mildly at Mika, who ducked his head, before replying.  “Tell ye later.”

“Why not now?”

“’Cause we’ve go’ ‘Erbology in five minutes,” replied Harry as he rose from his seat and left the Hall.  Niamh gave a yelp of surprise and sprinted after him, her bag bouncing against her shoulder.  Hermione followed a moment later, dashing over to the Gryffindor table and getting her books and Ron before running out.  Mika rolled his eyes and followed them at a more leisurely pace, staying long enough to say goodbye to Ginny.  The red-head sighed and finished her lunch before picking up her books and heading to Transfiguration.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Now, will you tell me?”

This Ginny asked later that day as they headed down the corridor to the Slytherin dormitory after classes.  Harry nodded then turned piercing eyes to Mika, who flinched.

“And I want ye ter tell me what yer problem is.”

Mika gave him a pitying look and said, “You’re not going to like it.”

Harry smirked, already knowing part of Mika’s problem.

“Ye’d be surprised.”

Mika looked at him in surprise and had just opened his mouth to speak when Jardin came out of nowhere and landed heavily on Harry’s shoulder, digging his talons in sharply.  Harry let out a surprised yelp of pain and came to a sudden halt, turning his head to look at the raven.

Jar!  What the sod are you doing?

Niamh winced and grumbled, rubbing her temples, “Can you not say that so loudly?”

Sorry, Ni.

S’alright, mate.

Harry looked back at Jardin and asked, What was that about?  I think you pierced my shoulder.

< Sorry, > said Jardin.  < But I just heard some really bad news. >

“What?” asked Niamh in her real and mental voice.

“And please say it so everyone can hear it,” grumbled Harry in the same manner, glaring mildly at the fidgeting Mika and Ginny.

< Alright, > replied the raven and gave a little mental couch.  < I ended up eaves dropping on a conversation between McGonagall (“That cow!” spat Niamh) and Sinistra about why the Dementors are here. >

“Really?” squeaked Ginny.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the raven and said, I already know this, Jar.  He made sure that his voice did not go to Niamh, who would hear every word he spoke to the raven at close range and vice versa.  Jardin blinked at him and said just as quietly, < You do?  Severus told you? >

I’m his son.  Why wouldn’t he tell me?

Stop having your own conversation.

< You can hear us? >

Niamh scowled and grumped, No, but can tell when you two are leaving me out of something.  Especially when the first words one of you say is ‘You can hear us?’

Bravo, Jar, bravo.

< I do so appreciate your sarcasm. >

I’m so happy for that that I am jumping in joy.

< Yes, I can see that. >

Just tell them and get it over with, said Harry with a sigh.

“What’s going on?” asked Ginny.  Her eyes darted from Harry to Niamh to Jardin and back again.

“Jus’ a little argument,” replied Harry offhandedly.  “Nothing ter worry about.”

< May I continue now? >

“Yes, Jar.”

< Good.  As I was saying, I ended up eaves dropping on McGonagall and Sinistra talking about why the Dementors are here.  It seems that Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. >

“Sirius Black!” squeaked Ginny, brown eyes wide.

Mika nodded solemnly and said, “Its true.  My dad says fudge is an incompetent fool.  He hasn’t told anyone but the Aurors and Dumbledore that Black escaped.”

“What about the dementors?  What are they doing here if Black’s out there?”

Mika shrugged, as his Jardin, but Harry sighed and said, “‘E’s after me.”

“What?” said Niamh, Mika, and Ginny in unison.

Then Niamh asked, “How do you know?”

“Ma da tol’ me.  ‘E was in the same class as Black.  Apparently Black played one prank too many on ‘im.”

“This guy sounds serious.”

“That’s not funny, y’know,” growled Mika.

“It wasn’t meant to be,” snarled Niamh in response.  “And while I’m talking to you, what’s your issue with Harry?  We all know why Ron’s got his broomstick up his ass.  But we don’t know why yours is.”

Mika sighed and looked up and down the empty corridor.  He looked back at them and asked, “Can we go somewhere more…quiet?”

Niamh frowned and snapped, “Here’s plenty quiet.”

“Charms classroom,” said Harry firmly.  “Flitwick should be in the Hall by now.  If he’s na, I know somewhere else we c’n go.”

Mika nodded and said, “Alright.”

“Let’s go,” sighed Niamh.

“Can we put our stuff down first?” moaned Ginny, shifting her heavy bag on her shoulder.

Harry smiled and replied, “Yeh.  Let’s go dump our stuff then head for the charms classroom.”

They all nodded in agreement and set off.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Alright.  Let’s hear it.”

The Charms classroom has turned out to be occupied by a pair of rather – rambunctious Ravenclaws, so, after much ado from Ginny, they had ended up in the same dungeon room that Harry had brewed the Prosapia Potion in.  Niamh and Ginny had taken claim on the table, sitting on it with their legs hanging down and Jardin perched between them.  Harry leaned against a wall, half in the shadows.  In the center of the room sat Mika, perched on a reversed chair, his arms along the back.

The white-haired boy looked at Niamh and sighed.

“Alright.  But you aren’t going to like it.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Niamh with a narrowing of her eyes.

“Ni,” growled Harry softly before turning his eyes back to Mika, who was staring off into space.

“We’re waiting,” hissed Hedwig after a moment of silence.  Harry hushed her quickly then said loudly, “Davids!”

“What?” exclaimed Mika, jumping.

“The story.”

“Oh, right.  Well, my dad wanted me to go to Durmstrang but my mum insister on sending me here.  She won, as you can tell.”

“And this had what point to the story?” asked Niamh scathingly.

Mika glared coldly at her and growled in response, “I’m getting there, I’m getting there.  Anyway, my dad told me before I go on the train to watch out for one of the professors.  He told me that there was one Death Eater that had gotten away from him and had fooled everyone into believing he had been forced to join their ranks.

Harry spat in Parseltongue suddenly, “That’s my father he’s talking about!”

“How obssservant you are.”

“Oh, sod off, Hed.”

Mika ignored Harry’s outburst and continued.  “He told me to keep an eye on this Death Eater for him – make sure nothing untoward happens, y’know.”  Dark eyes flicked to Harry as he added, “And he told me not to trust anyone who was friends with him.”

There was a moment of silence until Niamh gasped, “Your talking about Snape, aren’t you?”

Mika nodded but Niamh’s eyes were not on him.  They were on Harry, who was watching them with narrowed eyes.  Ginny looked wide-eyed at him and gaped.

Harry smirked and said, “Close yer mouth, Gin.  Merlin knows what sort of potions ‘ave been brewed in ‘ere.”

Ginny’s mouth snapped closed and Harry laughed.

“I’m jokin’, Gin.”

“Are you?” asked Mika.

“Aye.  I think I know me father better than ye or yer dad do.”

“Are you sure?”

“’E wouldn’t lie ter me,” said Harry firmly.

“I wouldn’t put it past a Death Eater,” remarked Mika.

Harry’s wand was out in a moment and he was across the room at Mika’s throat before any of them could blink.  He jammed the length of holly against the other boy’s throat and snarled in a savage voice, “Doan ye ever call me father that.  Ye don’t know him.  Ye don’t know him worth sodding heck, so don’t ye make any damn assumptions about ‘im.”

Mika choked and sputtered as Harry became aware of Niamh and Ginny tugging on his arms.  He turned his head to glare furiously at them, eyes glittering.  Ginny back up in fear up Niamh only paused for a half-second before pulling on his arm again.

“Harry, let him go.”

“Let me bite him,” hissed Hedwig from beneath Harry’s sleeve.

“Ye’ll do no such thing,” snarled the dark-haired boy at the snake.

“Why not?”

“Because I want to hurt him first.”

Hedwig hissed, “I sssee,” and was silent after that.

Niamh tugged determinedly on Harry’s arm again and he released Mika reluctantly, stepping back away from the other boy.  He cast one fierce glare in his direction, muttered a few rude words in Elven, then turned and stalked out.  Jardin followed him in a flutter of wings.

Niamh then turned to Mika and gave him a shove.

“What the hell did you provoke him for?”

“Snape’s a Death Eater, Ni!”

“Harry says he’s innocent!  And I, for one, believe him.”

“Me too,” said Ginny determinedly, jumping off the table to stand by Niamh.  The two girls looked defiantly at Mika, who sighed.  He couldn’t fight against the girl he had a crush on.

“You ought to apologize,” said Ginny a moment later.

Mika chuckled softly and said, “I don’t think he’ll be willing to hear it.”

“I didn’t mean now.  I meant later.”

“But not long enough as it’ll take Ron to apologize,” added Niamh.  “Slytherin knows, I’d kill the both of you then.

Mika smiled.

“I’ll take that into account, oh wise Lady Hex.”

“Sod off, Davids,” snapped Niamh, grinning despite herself.

Mika and Ginny grinned in response then Mika went off in search of Harry.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Harry?”

Harry looked up from where he was having a quiet conversation with Hedwig in the common room.  He narrowed his eyes at Mika and growled, “What do ye want?”

“To apologize.”

Harry arched an eyebrow and gave a wave of his hand.

“The floor is yers.”

Mika smiled slightly then sat down in a chair and began to talk quietly.

“Alright, I’m sorry I judged your dad.  Your right.  I don’t know him and neither does my dad, and we shouldn’t make judgments.  Especially when we don’t know the person.”

Harry looked at the white-haired boy for a moment before saying softly, “Apology accepted.”

Mika nodded and asked, “Friends again?”

“On’y if ye’ll stopping looking at me like I’m the next Voldemort.”

Mika didn’t flinch at the name like Ginny, Hermione, and Ron usually did and nodded.

“It’s a deal.”

The two boys sealed the pact with a handshake and grinned foolishly at each other.  Part of their group was back together.  Now what of the other half?

And what about Black? thought Harry grimly as Jardin settled down on the couch beside him.